Vietnamese mountain resort of Sa Pa. The area is renowned for its colourful ethnic minorities, and Ta Van is home to two such groups. A stay with one of the farmer families here will give you a close-up experience of the life-style and culture typical of the area. Trekking in the surrounding area is most satisfying.
Every Saturday, the picturesque mountain village of Sa Pa comes alive with shoppers who know what they want: love. They travel from near and far to size up the goods of the day, hoping something will tickle their fancy.
The Sunday market in Bac Ha is where you'll want to stock up on water buffalo, pigs and horses. Once you're all set, you can browse for bottles of local firewater (made from rice, cassava or corn) or handicrafts made by some of the 10 Montagnard groups living near here - Flower Hmong, Dzao, Giay (Nhang), Han (Hoa), Xa Fang, Lachi, Nung, Phula, Thai and Thulao.
Tour Highlights:
Most satisfying is trekking in the surrounding area.
Know about the life-style and culture typical of the area.
Enjoy the picturesque mountain village of Sa Pa.
Try homemade wine from corn.
Itinerary
Night 1-Thurday: Hanoi – Laocai Train Station
Our car pick up from your hotel then transfer to Hanoi train station to get the night train to Lao Cai station.Overnight in your soft sleep cabin.
Day 1-Friday: Sapa-Y linh ho-Lao chai San-Lao chai-Ta van. (B,L,D)
Arrive at Lao Cai station early morning,bus and tour guide pick you up and transfer to Sapa town.After breakfast we leave the hotel and start trekking. The first part is on the road but we soon turn to the right and walk on a small path down the valley to the Muong Hoa River and from here to the Black H’mong village Lao Chai. Black H’mong is one of the biggest minority groups in the Sapa area. They are proud of their culture and keep their traditions and way of living. They have their own language and wear traditional indigio blue clothing. After this you continue to Ta Van village (1.200 m) to visit Zay people. Zay is a fairly small minority group of about 38.000 people who live mainly in the mountains in Northwest Vietnam. The development has meant that some of their old customs have been lost but many women still wear traditional shirts with a purple, blue or green color. The Zay houses are build of wood and bamboo with a clay floor. We stay overnight with a local family in Ta Van and have our dinner here.
Day 2-Saturday: Tavan – Giang Ta Chai – Su pan -Sapa (B,L,D)
After the breakfast we continue to visit Red Dzao people at Giang Ta Chai where we also see a waterfall. The Red Dao women have very colourful red embroideryand coins on their clothing. On their head they wear a red scarf. Some of the women have shaved off their eyebrows because of a nice Red Zao Legend.
We continue along small paths in the rice fields, cross the Muong Hoa River and trek up to Su pan where you will meet the Vietnam TripAdvisor's jeep and transfer back to Sapa.Overnight in Hotel.
Day 3- Sunday: Bac Ha Market (B,L,D)
After having early breakfast in the morning we drive to Bac Ha Market. It takes us 3 huor driving to get there. This is the largest market in the region, a place where many ethnic groups gather to buy and sell, eat and drink together. There are 10 minority groups in the Bac Ha region. You can buy homemade handicrafts and clothes. In the afternoon we will have a 2 hour trek to Ban Pho village (Flower H’Mong people).In the village we can have a look in their house and understand little more about their lifestyle and traditional customs. Especially, we can try homemade wine from corn. And then we drive back to Lao Cai railway station for the night train to Hanoi.Overnight on train.
Day 4-Monday: Hanoi arrive
Getting back to Hanoi from Sapa trip so early at around 5am, taxi to hotel on your own.
End of services. Our staff will give you the warmest goodbye and hope to see you again.
